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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26504098">Tether Me</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/alittlestarling/pseuds/alittlestarling'>alittlestarling</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Two Sisters AU [3]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>The Wayhaven Chronicles (Interactive Fiction)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, Car Sex, Clare says fuck a lot, F/M, Implied/Referenced Cheating, Mason doesn't do feelings but really he does, Not detective female, PWP, Plot What Plot/Porn Without Plot, That's a lie there's a plot buried in here, end of book 1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-09-17</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-09-17</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 13:14:14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Explicit</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>3,731</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26504098</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/alittlestarling/pseuds/alittlestarling</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Mason drives Clare home in the aftermath of Murphy. Things reach a boiling point and Clare seeks comfort from new knowledge of a world her mother and sister have been hiding from her.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Mason/Original Female Character</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Two Sisters AU [3]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/2026141</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>15</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Tether Me</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>STAY WITH ME okay this is part of a bigger project, but I'm just really excited to share this piece that I wrote featuring Mason and a Not!Detective in an AU where my detective, Laurel Jones, has a younger half-sister with her own ties to the supernatural world. Fingers crossed that I post some of that before the year is out. This got very spicy and I hope I counted all my limbs lol.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Clare’s hands hadn’t stopped shaking since they’d left the Agency facility. Her mind was reeling and racing with too much information and not enough sleep, not to mention the wound that doctors had stitched and patched up along her wrist. Murphy hadn’t been delicate with his teeth, fangs sinking in and tearing at her skin as though she were a meal. </p><p><em> I </em> was <em>a meal. </em></p><p>How in the world was she going to explain this to Liam?</p><p>“You don’t.” </p><p>Blinking, Clare realized she had said that last part aloud, her gaze slipping to the driver in her sister’s beat-up hatchback. Mason’s long fingers gripped the wheel, his posture both screaming languid and tension in one fell swoop. She didn’t know why he’d offered to drive her home, too dazed to say anything about it as they ushered her into the car. Her mother remained with Laurel, who had lost too much blood; Clare realized, dimly, that her sister could have died, they <em>both </em>could have died.</p><p>“I can’t keep secrets!” Her chest was tight as she struggled, pulling her seatbelt out a bit, caught and constricted against it. Her clothes felt too warm, too tight, the stitches ached and her heart was pounding heavily against her ribs.</p><p>The car pulled to the side of the road as Mason turned off the engine. In the darkness that followed the rainstorm, his grey eyes were piercing as he turned to her. “Deep breaths,” His low, gravelly voice rumbled. “You’ll panic more if you struggle.”</p><p>“Why shouldn’t I panic?!” Clare couldn’t help the hysterical laugh that bubbled from her lips. “My sister almost died, <em> I </em> almost died, she has super special blood, I’m apparently part fae, whatever the fuck that means, and there’s a clandestine agency keeping the supernatural world from entering our world. I’d say I have every right not to be peachy keen right now!”</p><p>It had been years since Clare had felt this kind of panic attack coming on. The last time she’d found herself lost in the middle of London, all on her own and with a dying mobile and no one answering her calls. Experience with anxiety never meant controlling it well, not as she took shallow breaths, her head spinning and her heart constricting hard with each breath she took. Forget dying in Murphy’s super-secret hideaway, Clare was going to bite it on the side of the road with a broody vampire who she continued to find herself drawn to with no logical explanation.</p><p>Mason gave an exasperated sigh and, before she could protest, his hands were resting on either side of her neck. They were warmer than she expected, flinching momentarily as she met his gaze. </p><p>“Clare, just breathe.” The cadence of his voice seemed different; all at once, the noise that hummed and buzzed through her mind just vanished. Her heart continued to beat hard and fast but, with each slow, steady breath that she followed with him, things returned to an even tilt. With the panic gone, tears prickled in place instead as she drew a ragged breath.</p><p>“How did you do that?” </p><p>“Agency secret, sweetheart.” The deadpan delivery almost had her wondering, but there was a very slight glint in his eyes, the corner of his mouth rising ever so slightly. His hands remained in place even as her panic eked from her, making her heart race for a completely different reason. He seemed to catch wind of that, lips curling into an almost predatory smirk. </p><p>“I don’t understand you,” Clare blurted out, unable to tear her gaze away from him. </p><p>“What’s there to understand?”</p><p>“You’re hot and cold,” She shook her head, but not to shake his far gentler hold than she expected. “One moment you’re pushing away, the next I catch you watching me. It’s-” Clare gave another ragged sigh, her brow furrowed in an attempt not to simply start crying for lord only knew what reason. “It’s confusing.”</p><p>“I look because I like what I see.”</p><p>“It’s never that simple, Mason.” Her heart stuttered as his thumb brushed against her pulse point. For a moment, she wasn’t sure if she felt <em>fear </em>over him being yet another vampire in her life, or if the fear was of an entirely different nature. Mason’s gaze flickered over her, his brow pinched before it developed into a frown.</p><p>“Are you scared of me, Clare?” Mason asked, his voice pitching softer, his eyes scrutinizing more than before. </p><p>“No.” There was no fear of <em>him</em>, much to her surprise. This man, who she’d decided was a rude asshole the first few times they’d met, had never made her feel scared. True, she knew who he was, <em> what </em>he was, but that felt secondary to the person who had cradled her on the warehouse floor earlier, pressing his shirt against the gasping wound to ensure that everything clotted up.</p><p>Sliding a hand from her lap, Clare gently pressed her palm against the back of one of his hands. Behind the prickly exterior and the haze of smoke, she saw a little more clearly who he was, even if neither of them would ever admit it aloud. </p><p>“What do you want, Clare?” It was a dangerous question as she sucked in a sharp, uncertain breath. There were a million reasons she should let go of him, face forward, and let him drive her home. Liam was waiting for her and, even though she had no idea how she was going to keep this from him, she knew she had to find a way to explain the bandaged wrist and the circles under her eyes.</p><p>But, shit, she didn’t want to let go of the moment. </p><p>“Mason,” Clare’s voice dropped to a whisper, running her tongue along her lower lip to distract herself, anchor herself to the moment rather than run away with her feelings. Logically, a lot had happened, and she wasn’t so certain she was handling it well. Maybe if she were stronger or if she had more willpower, she could have stopped. </p><p>Instead, she uttered a single word: “<em>Please </em>.”</p><p>It was all the invitation he needed, her sigh swallowed effortlessly by his lips against hers. </p><p>Sanity slipped out the window as his fingers anchored in her hair and all she could taste was something she couldn’t put to words; deep and dark and <em>wanting </em>at the tip of her tongue. Her gaze was unfocused, a whimper escaping when his mouth lefts hers. Rather than stopping, he skimmed his teeth along her neck; nothing to make a mark, nor did she fear what <em>could </em>happen. </p><p>Her trust in him was far deeper than she ever thought she’d feel, a full-body shudder bringing her back when he gave a gentle nip at the juncture where her neck and shoulder met. “Mason…” Just his name on her lips had her pausing for a moment, letting a soft, stuttering breath escape her lips as his tongue ran along the same spot he’d grazed moments before.</p><p>“Are you sure?” His voice was low as he lifted his head, his mouth so close to her in the confines of the front seat. His grey eyes were fixed, pupils were blown, but holding himself back as she tried to gather her thoughts.</p><p>“Yes.” Clare brought both hands to his face, thumbs stroking along the constellation of freckles she could see in the dim lighting. “<em> Yes </em>.”</p><p>This time she pulled him close, her mouth opening against his at the barest brush of his tongue against her lips, crowding out every other thought but <em>this </em>and <em>him</em>. There was no hesitation as his hands slipped up her shirt, caressing and testing, his smirk barely contained against her mouth when he found a spot that had her moaning.</p><p>“Backseat.” It was a soft, growling command when her fingers began fumbling with the zipper of his jeans. </p><p>There was a little awkwardness as they climbed over the seats, Clare almost whining at the loss of his touch for the few moments as they adjusted. There were no other thoughts in her mind as he helped pull the scrub top from her, mouth hot against her collarbone and trailing tantalizing, open-mouthed kisses against her that set her skin ablaze.</p><p>Her own eagerness got the better of her as she pulled his mouth to hers again, biting down on his lip harder than she meant to. “Shit! Sorry.”</p><p>“No reason to be sorry, Clare.” Instead of irritation, there was bemusement and desire; she reached up to grip his hair, unexpectedly thrilled as he shuddered against the taut hold she had on him. “I’m not afraid of a little biting.” Had she been in a better state of mind, Clare may have laughed at the ridiculousness of that statement coming from a vampire. Instead, her grip loosened, nails scraping against his scalp as she leaned in to kiss him, her tongue swirling across the spot where she had bitten.</p><p>“Is that consent?” She breathed against his mouth, unable to stop the little smirk from sliding into place. </p><p>“Better fucking believe it, sweetheart.” He shifted, her legs bracketing his hips in the cramped space, bucking up to grind against her. All coherent thought flew from her mind as she let out a louder moan than before, lips trembling when his hands loosened the ties at the front of her scrubs. There was another very slight pause, an unasked question that she nodded to, pulling his mouth to hers again the moment his hand slipped down, down and then-</p><p>“<em> Fuck! </em> ” The harsh word slipped from her lips, jerking at the intimate touch. “Yes, please, oh, please, to the left a bit-” A stuttering little gasp escaped, closing her eyes against the sensation. Those long fingers she’d admired were <em> very </em> good at this, her breath hitching as one of them slid into her.</p><p>Clare opened her eyes, their gaze meeting as she rocked against him. Mason may not have been much of a talker, but Clare could do enough of it for the both of them. “Another?” There was an intensity in his grey gaze, losing one finger only to be replaced with two. The heel of his palm pressed deliciously along her center, sending a shiver down her spine when he crooked his fingers to seek the perfect spot to make her whimper again.</p><p>It was hot and bright, this tension that coiled within her, unable to keep her eyes off him as she rocked against his hand. She lost herself in the movement, breathing into each rocking of her hips, aware of how he watched her with a predatory expression. Not that he would hurt her (not unless she <em>asked, </em> which sent a delicious shiver down her spine as well) but as if he knew that she belonged to him in this moment.</p><p>A third finger caught her off-guard and the feeling of <em>fullness </em>was almost too much as her breath caught and the tightness broke with a suddenness that she nearly lost her balance, clenching hard against his fingers. He didn’t remove them right away, helping her through the storm of it all, pausing to run his tongue along the sweat that dripped from her neck down to the space between her breasts.</p><p>“Fuck.” Clare whispered hoarsely, watching as he pulled his hand away, pausing only to slip them into his mouth. She was <em>humming </em>up and down her body as she leaned in, capturing his lips in hers in a sloppy, uncoordinated kiss, following his lead as they flipped places.</p><p>“Your shirt…” Clare tried to find the words, clawing at the clothing still between them. Mason gave a dark chuckle, obliging, lifting the long-sleeved t-shirt as it joined her top in the front seat. Clare could barely breathe, her heart hammering as she traced her fingers along the smattering of freckles that, delightfully, crossed and curved all over his body. If they had more time, if things were different, she thought she might kiss him on each one, use her tongue to trace patterns on his skin and find those spots that made him huff and sigh with desire.</p><p>She was ripped from her thoughts as he dipped his face, one hand sliding down her bra strap, freeing one, rosy bud that went promptly in his mouth. There was no teasing, no lightness as he sucked, drawing a strangled groan from Clare. The motion shot straight to her core and, despite having come once already, she felt the need of it hit her again.</p><p>Panting, Clare’s patience was running thin as she wriggled out of her bottoms, all but kicking them to the front. Undoing the button and zipper of Mason’s jeans was difficult when his tongue circled, sucked and bite ever so slightly, making her swear and shiver, flushed and <em>wanting</em>. Just enough to get his pants and boxer briefs out of the way. Her fingers finally found the soft velvet of <em>him</em>, lips curving into a smirk when he shuddered against her breast when she stroked up and down with one hand experimentally.</p><p>“Do <em> you </em> want this?” Clare asked breathlessly; regardless of how she felt, trembling with need, if he said <em>no, </em>in the end, she would be fine. </p><p>He met her gaze from her chest, curiosity alight along with the brazen lust that colored his eyes. “Is that in question?” Licking along the cup of her still contained breast, fingers tracing the rosy bud of the other, he rocked into her hand a little more forcefully than her touch had been moments ago.</p><p>It was enough for Clare as she paused, one hand leaving (which Mason gave a huffing grumble over) to trace up his face, pulling him down for another kiss. Soft turned powerful, aggressive as they shifted in the small space, her hand helping guide him in each motion. </p><p>Mason sank slowly at first, his mouth swallowing the needy sounds that escaped from Clare at this first, far gentler thrust into her. Her gaze was unfocused and soft, a trembling breath breaking into a sharp moan as he pulled out and snapped right back in. He left one hand at her exposed breast, the other shifting to lift her leg to fit into the crook of his elbow.</p><p>Clare felt like her entire body was aflame, shaking and cursing softly with each rough rocking they made. The damned car moved with them and, dimly, she hoped they wouldn’t break anything. That would be a complete nightmare to explain to Laurel if (<em> when </em>) she woke up. Her mind drifted away from the moment with that, her concentration briefly lost as she tried to match his movements and failed.</p><p>“Where’s your mind, sweetheart?” Mason’s hand shifted from her breast, gripping her jaw with a firmness that brought her eyes back to him. Firm, she realized, but not hurting, not intending to push over the boundaries they had already drawn around them. He didn’t stop moving, but his thrusts changed, adjusting the angle as he went slow and shallow.</p><p>“Sorry,” Clare huffed out, gritting her teeth against the whine that wanted to escape, wanting to go back to more and harder. “I’m fine.”</p><p>“Stay with me,” Mason’s voice was a low rumble in her ear, his tongue running along the shell before nipping at her earlobe. “Nothing else matters right now. It’s just you-” He thrust hard, the suddenness of it taking her breath away, “-and me-” another <em> hard </em> thrust that had her keening, “-and <em> us </em>.”</p><p>Clare nodded, licking her lips as she reached blindly for him. Her fingers tangled in his hair, the other coaxing his hips into something deeper and faster. His mouth found hers again as she whimpers into a coiling that was already beginning at the base of her spine. Something wasn’t <em>quite </em>right though as she sought her pleasure against him. “Please, Mason, I need-” A cry escaped her lips as his hands slid down to lift her hips just so and-</p><p>“<em>Fuck, fuck, fuck </em> -” Clare was babbling, words and curses escaping with no real rhyme or reason. <em> That </em>was the spot, and she swore she was seeing stars prick in the corners of her vision. Mason had a knowing, smug smirk and Clare tried to make a note to give back in kind, eventually.</p><p>(<em>Would </em> there be another time?)</p><p>There was no time for coherent thought, Clare’s gasping and shallow moaning reverberating in the car. Her own end was hurtling towards her, tightening and surging until, with a strangled scream, everything fell apart. Clare was awash with sensation, tears prickling in the corners of her eyes as she rode it out, barely registering the words Mason grunted out in a language she didn’t understand. He wasn’t too far behind her, her eyes opening again in time to watch his composure lost in a long, drawn-out shudder and harsh moan.</p><p>In the afterglow, there was an almost unnatural stillness to the pair of them. Clare tried to catch her breath, her vision blurred and glossy with tears that she couldn’t explain. There was the slightest tremor running through Mason when her fingers found his hand, one that she almost swore wasn’t there a mere breath later.</p><p>“How do you feel now?” Mason didn’t even bother hiding the smug satisfaction in his voice, a smirk easily making its way to his lips as she shuddered against his hand as it brushed alongside her breast.</p><p>“<em>Fuck </em>.”</p><p>“We just did.”</p><p>“Smartass.” Clare let out a breathless laugh, sniffling a moment as she reached to her face, brushing away traces of any tears that remained. When she looked up at him again, there was a small frown, a flash of genuine concern. “It’s nothing, just... well, I mean, this was all a <em> lot </em>.”</p><p>“What can I say, sweetheart?” Mason all but purred, hips rocking their still joined bodies, repressing a shudder of his own as she took in a deep, unsteady breath. “There’s a lot of me to handle.”</p><p>“You know what I meant.” Now that she was slowing down again, her brain and body seemed to catch up with one another. Closing her eyes, she pressed a hand to her face, frowning against the intrusive thoughts about <em>what </em>and <em>who </em>and <em>why </em>of the last 24 hours.</p><p>“It’s difficult to take in.” Mason’s tone wasn’t teasing, matter-of-fact instead as she pulled her hand away to look at him again. </p><p>“I don’t know what to-” Clare began, interrupted as a sharp pain twinged in her right hip. “<em> Ouch! </em> We have to shift my hip, fuck-” Despite her attempts, Clare had never been as flexible as some, her body complaining about the tight space and the elongated time spent with her hips splayed in a way that weren’t natural for her.</p><p>“Yeah, yeah,” Mason moved, her leg unhooked from his arm, sliding himself from her. Clare made a face and then, horrified, looked back up at Mason.</p><p>“We can’t give Laurel her car back until it’s cleaned.” She could only imagine the words her sister might use, knowing that she and Mason had done <em>this </em>in the back of her beloved little car. She was almost ashamed of how not sorry she was, her heart hammering and all but dropping into her stomach at the thought of explaining any accidental marks from this to Liam.</p><p>Her stomach twisted as she swallowed back her panic. “I need my pants and underwear?” Practical actions, she thought, holding a hand out as Mason reached into the front to find their discarded things. </p><p>Dressing in the backseat was clumsy and awkward as Clare scrunched her nose, trying to clean herself up a little with her underwear rather than putting it back on. She’d have to shower right away when she got home and maybe just throw this pair out. Mason had little trouble tucking himself back in, shirt effortlessly back in place. </p><p>As if none of this had ever happened, Clare thought, sliding into her clothes and readjusting her askew bra. </p><p>“This can’t happen again,” Clare murmured, the highs and endorphins from before fading into the misery that this was a huge mistake. It didn’t matter how badly she’d needed <em>something </em>to tether her to the world again, what they had done was wrong for her. The weight of her ring felt heavier than ever before, and a headache was blooming at the base of her skull.</p><p>“It’s your call, sweetheart.” What had been open before was suddenly shuttered away, a wall falling before her very eyes. The playfulness that had followed <em>this </em>vanished like smoke and Clare had to swallow the lump in her throat as she dropped her gaze, trying to run her fingers through the tangles in her hair.</p><p>“I’m sorry.” Clare’s voice was a mere whisper, shocked when Mason gave a hollow laugh.</p><p>“Why?” Mason shrugged, his mouth twisted into a rueful sneer that felt so wrong after all of this. “We needed to let off some steam, you got to calm down, it’s win-win for us both. No need to get all bent out of shape over some fucking.”</p><p>Clare prickled at the harshness of his words, almost too matter-of-fact about it. “That wasn’t just <em> fucking </em>, Mason.”</p><p>“Not from where I’m sitting.”</p><p>“Then you’re not looking hard enough.” Hurt and confusion mingled as she tried to take a deep, grounding breath, but she couldn’t hide her emotions. Maybe Mason had spent his entire existence hiding behind apathy and cool, collected looks, but Clare had never been good at that. Her emotions were an open book before her, written on her face without hesitation of what it might bring out in either of them.</p><p>The silence now felt oppressive, the air too tight and warm between them. </p><p>“Maybe you should head back to the facility,” Clare broke the silence, clearing her throat as she glanced at Mason and then back to the front of the car. </p><p>“Your choice, Clare.” </p><p>She didn’t look when he shifted, moving from the seat and out the back door. When Clare looked up, Mason was nowhere to be seen. Crawling from her spot in the back, Clare shifted into the driver’s seat, adjusting the mirrors and starting the engine again. It was the only noise that filled her ears as she drove onto the dark roads, gripping the steering wheel tight and trying to unravel just what was happening in her world.</p>
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